[634] “The metrical historian Hardyng twice employed but without explaining the appellation stone Hengels, ‘which called is the Stone Hengles certayne’. This reads like lapides Anglorum or lapides Angelorum.”—Herbert, A., Cyclops Christianus, p. 165.
[635] “Who would ween, in this worlds realm, that Hengest thought to deceive the king who had his daughter. For there is never any man, that men may not over-reach with treachery. They took an appointed day, that these people should come together with concord and with peace, in a plain that was pleasant beside Ambresbury; the place was Aelenge; now hight it Stonehenge. There Hengest the traitor, either by word or by writ, made known to the king; that he would come with his forces, in honour of the king; but he would not bring in retinue but three hundred knights, the wisest men of all that he might find. And the king should bring as many on his side bold thanes, and who should be wisest of all that dwelt in Britain, with their good vestments, all without weapons, that no evil, should happen to them, through confidence of the weapons. Thus they it spake, and eft they it brake; for Hengest the traitor thus gan he teach his comrades, that each should take a long saex (knife), and lay be his shank, within his hose, where he it might hide. When they came together, the Saxons and Britons, then quoth Hengest, most deceitful of all knights: ‘Hail be thou, lord king, each is to thee thy subject! If ever any of thy men hath weapon by his side, send it with friendship far from ourselves, and be we in amity, and speak we of concord; how we may with peace our lives live.’ Thus the wicked man spake there to the Britons. Then answered Vortiger—here he was too unwary—‘If here is any knight so wild, that hath weapon by his side, he shall lose the hand through his own brand, unless he soon send it hence’. Their weapons they sent away, then had they nought in hand; knights went upward, knights went downward, each spake with other as if he were his brother.
“When the Britons were mingled with the Saxons, then called Hengest of knights most treacherous: ‘Take your saexes, my good warriors, and bravely bestir you and spare ye none!’ Noble Britons were there, but they knew not of the speech, what the Saxish men said them between. They drew out the saexes, all aside; they smote on the right side, they smote on the left side; before and behind they laid them to the ground; all they slew that they came nigh; of the king’s men there fell four hundred and five, woe was the king alive!”—Layamon, Brut..
[636] Cf. Herbert, A., Cyclops Christianius, p. 163.
[637] Surnames, p. 31.
[638] Cf. Hazlitt, W. Carew, Faith and Folklore, ii., 389.
[639] Teutonic Mythology, Rydberg, p. 360.
[640] Demonology, 177.
[641] Cf. Wright, T., Essays on Archæological Subjects, i., 120.
[642] Davies, D., The Ancient Celtic Church of Wales, p. 14.